


First call home

by Windfighter



Series: Abasia [5]
Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: Gen, Sorry Emil, Whumptober 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-09-01 06:41:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16759963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windfighter/pseuds/Windfighter
Summary: Emil talks to Siv for the first time since he broke his back.





	First call home

**Author's Note:**

> ehehe I have too much fun with this series, sorry about that Emil. This one is probably a bit confusing on it's own because I'm tired of repeating the background so quick recap:  
> Emil fell off a building and broke his back. He's paralyzed from the waist down. And he's stuck in the silent world with the rest of the crew because the boat won't come pick them up for another couple of months.  
> Also this is the second expedition. Both Tuuri and the cattank survived the last one. Yep. That should be all you need to know.
> 
> Prompt: ”I can't walk.”

Emil listened to the others' voices. Tuuri was reporting back to the homecrew, currently in Finnish. Which meant she was speaking either with Taru or Onni. He was still terrible bad at Finnish and could only pick up the occassional word from what she was saying. Not enough to understand what she was talking about and he was certain he hadn't picked up the correct words anyway. Finnish had so many weird words.

He turned to the next page in the book he was reading, then let it drop to his stomach. He had never been able to read for long when lying on his back. He closed his eyes, focused on Tuuri's voice. It was the best exercise he was going to get at understanding Finnish. She kept talking for a while, all gibberish, but after ten minutes he could understand it all without problems.

”Oh wait, that's Swedish”, he muttered when he realized the reason behind his success. ”Wait, if she's talking Swedish, that means...”

The wheels were turning. His brain was still not quite caught up after the latest round of fever. If Tuuri was talking Swedish that meant Siv or Torbjörn was probably on the other side.

”Mikkel!”

He raised himself on his elbows. His back protested but the painkillers did their job.

”Mikkel!”

Mikkel came inside, laughed.

”You do not need to yell, I can hear you clearly.”

”Is she talking to Siv or Torbjörn? Can I talk to them? Please!”

Mikkel left the bedroom for a few seconds, then came back inside.

”Are you sure?”

”Yes!”

”How are you feeling?”

”My back's aching a little and I mean I still have a little fever”, he had learned how his body felt when the fever was there now, ”but it's not that bad.”

”Alright then, I'll allow you to talk to them.”

Mikkel came up to Emil's bed and lifted Emil from it. Emil winced.

”You okay?”

”Yeah, it's just... yeah.”

Mikkel carried him to the radio, sat him down in the chair and handed him the headphones. Emil accepted them, whispered a thanks and pulled himself closer to the radio.

”H-hello?”

”Emil!” Siv's voice. ”How are you, sweetie?”

”I-”

Emil's voice cracked. He hadn't talked to them since before he fell off the building and he hadn't really known what he wanted to say. His breathing turned uneven as his body fought against the tears that threatened to emerge.

”I can't walk.”

”I know, I heard”, her voice was sad. ”I'm sorry we couldn't get a boat out to pick you up. How are you holding up?”

”I... I'm not...” he was starting to cry. He missed her so much. ”I want to go home.”

He pulled his hand over his eyes, dried away the tears, but his eyes got wet again.

”You'll be home again soon.”

”Everyone keeps saying that, but... They're not the ones stuck in bed and...” He took a shaky breath, he didn't want to finish that sentence. ”I just... Does father know? Have you told him?”

”Do you want us to tell him?”

”I don't know actually”, Emil laughed. ”I don't know anything any longer.”

”Don't worry, it'll turn out fine. I promise.”

”...I miss you.”

”I miss you too. The kids do as well.”

”Do they-?”

”We told them you won't be able to play with them the same way, but they don't know the details. I wasn't sure how much you wanted me to say.”

”That's... thank you.”

”You'll be home soon, Emil. Don't worry.”

”It's hard not to.”

”I know. Just hold on, it'll work out. I promise.”

”I'm trying. Thanks.” He dried his eyes again. ”Talk to you again later?”

”I'd like that. Take care of yourself.”

Emil flinched.

”Y-yeah. You too.”

He ended the call, stared at the radio. Take care of yourself. His eyes teared up again. He couldn't do that. Mikkel came up to him.

”Are you satisfied with your conversation?”

”I'm not sure what I was expecting. Probably not that though.”

He let out a sigh.

”I'm satisfied. Thank you.”

”Do you want to return to your bed?”

Emil nodded. The pain in his back had gotten a little worse during the call. Mikkel carried him back, tucked him in and Emil grabbed the book again. Mikkel left and he opened the book. He didn't read it, instead he listened to the others' voices. Tuuri was talking Finnish again. Probably trying to get Lalli to socialize. He let out another sigh and dropped the book onto his stomach. 'Take care of yourself', but how could he do that when he couldn't even walk?


End file.
